I cleared my PLAB 2 exam today. I’m not trying to gloat or won't be giving tips or advises, I’ll be only sharing my story

Dear Plab Aspirants,

I cleared my PLAB 2 exam today. I’m not trying to gloat or won’t be giving tips or advises, I’ll be only sharing my story.

I finished my internship in the month of April 2017 and wasted no time and started with my PLAB preparation. I started my journey in the month of May 2017. I booked my first IELTS exam in June. No points for guessing, I didn’t clear it in my first attempt. I felt bad, I started my dream journey and took a hit. It wasn’t a good feeling at all, so I joined local IELTS coaching classes and took my second attempt. After multiple attempts, approaching various tutors - local, National and International I finally managed to clear IELTS in my 5th attempt.

I thought the struggles over, as we all know the beginning is always the toughest. It was a sense of achievement and a feeling that the rest of the journey will sail through. But oh boy, little did I know this was just the beginning, the silence before the storm. I took Plab 1 in March 2018. After reading various posts online I took the exam lightly, studied very minimal and sat the exam. I failed by 3 marks, it hurt a lot. I was to be blamed but it was difficult to digest. I was furious I wasted no time, I booked another exam in June in London and applied for visa very next moment. I studied sincerely, referred to a lot of notes and took mocks and finally cleared the exam. I was ecstatic, I booked my Plab 2 exam and got a date somewhere in January. I knew this is my last step, I have been dreaming of getting into the UK so I planned everything accordingly. I arrived in the UK 2 months before the exam took the coaching, practised a lot and finally took the exam in January. It was mixed feeling post exam, its very difficult to predict what will happen but I was positive. I took one day off and the very next day I started my clinical attachment. I was enjoying my attachment learning new things thinking of applying them once I clear my exam and join. My observership was supposed to end 2 days after the declaration of my results. And I failed to clear my Plab 2 exam in my first attempt. The margin for failing was in decimals, maybe luck was not on my side that day. I was disheartened. I didn’t leave my room the whole day, I didn’t attend the last 2 days of my attachment, I informed my consultant and left for my home country. I went home with heavy heart. Things changed quickly because I luckily got an earlier date. I came back within a month studied for 30 days and took the exam again and cleared it this time.

I took 9 attempts to clear an exam for which people usually take 3-4 attempts. The journey wasn’t easy, it had lots of ups and downs, phases of depression. But what helped me was the support I got from the friends I made during my journey. I wouldn’t have been able to go through this had it not been for them. Where I come from, sitting the exam multiple times makes you a loser, but here when people heard I had to sit IELTS 5 times, they said I’m a Fighter and not a loser. Those words gave me strength.

Hence, I’m starting this PLAB Journey Support Group, a platform where all the PLAB aspirants can share their story anonymously if one is going through a rough patch. Talking about it will making you feel better and supportive words from people will keep you motivated.

When you resit an exam - You don’t become a Repeater, you become A Perfectionist. Good Luck!!